BokHee An
BokHee An | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1939 (age 86–87) Chūseinan Province, then part of Korea, Empire of Japan (now South Chungcheong Province, South Korea) |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | Longest-running recurring character actor on Grey's Anatomy |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 안복희 |
| RR | An Bokhui |
| MR | An Pokhŭi |
Kathy C. "BokHee" An (born 1939), born An BokHee (Korean: 안복희), is a Korean-born American nurse and actress most known for playing Nurse BokHee, the longest running recurring character on the television show Grey's Anatomy. She first appeared in Grey's Anatomy on the premiere episode, and has appeared in all 22 seasons so far. Prior to acting on the show, An was a surgical technologist. She was named to the Forbes 50 over 50 in 2024 for her work on Grey's Anatomy.
Early life
[edit]BokHee An was born in 1939 in a small town in Chūseinan Province during the Japanese occupation of Korea, and came from a wealthy family who pressured her to follow the stereotypical path of a Korean woman. Instead, she went to Seoul at the age of 17 to study, and at 20 became an assistant to an OB-GYN. In 1968, she moved to California and changed her name to Kathy, but continued to be largely known as BokHee. In California, she worked night shifts at a surgical floor and babysat for a plastic surgeon before taking a job as a surgical technologist at 32.[1]
Acting career
[edit]An was recruited to work as a medical consultant on shows to ensure accuracy, and made her debut in 1983 in Ryan's Four. Since then, she has appeared in more than 600 episodes and movies, often balancing her hospital shifts with her days on set.[1]
She appeared in the very first episode of Grey's Anatomy as Nurse BokHee, and has since appeared in all 22 seasons[2] and over 300 episodes,[3] making her one of the longest-serving actors on Grey's Anatomy and her character the longest-serving supporting character.[4][2] However, she has had very few lines in the show,[5][6] and only one before Season 15.[7]
An soon became a favorite of fans,[8][9] and has over 600 thousand Instagram followers.[10] Actress Sandra Oh, a colleague on Grey's Anatomy, has stated that she views An as a mother figure.[11][12]
Outside of her on-screen role and her role as a consultant, many of the cast members of Grey's Anatomy have shadowed her during operations.[13]
An was named to the Forbes 50 over 50, specifically on the Lifestyle list, in 2024 for her work on Grey's Anatomy.[14]
In 2026, she confirmed that she would remain with the series after speculation regarding her departure.[3]
Activism
[edit]An has been a vocal advocate in support of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community,[15] advocating against racism,[8] and addressing anti-Asian racism in one of her rare speaking lines, saying "We are American. Your face is American." to Lynn Chen's character.[16][5]
Personal life
[edit]She enjoys playing the traditional Korean musical instrument gayageum, and often posts pictures of herself playing.[1]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Witter, Brad (May 6, 2022). "Playing A Scrub Nurse On Grey's Anatomy Made BokHee An Instagram Royalty". Bustle. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
- 1 2 Pacina, Michelle De (April 16, 2024). "Meet the real-life nurse behind 'Grey's Anatomy's' longest-lasting supporting character". NextShark. Archived from the original on May 17, 2026. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
- 1 2 Eclarinal, Aeron Mer (January 30, 2026). "Grey's Anatomy BokHee Actress Reveals If They Are Leaving The ABC Series". The Direct. Archived from the original on May 19, 2026. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
- ↑ Clarendon, Dan (March 14, 2024). "10 Longest-Serving 'Grey's Anatomy' Stars — Bokhee Included!". TV Insider. Archived from the original on November 10, 2025. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
- 1 2 "BokHee An Is the Glue Who Holds 'Grey's' Together". www.shondaland.com. Archived from the original on May 19, 2026. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
- ↑ published, Gina Carbone (February 22, 2019). "Grey's Anatomy Finally Let Nurse Bokhee Speak Again, And It Was Perfect". Cinemablend. Archived from the original on May 21, 2026. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
- ↑ Dominick, Nora (February 22, 2019). "Bokhee From "Grey's Anatomy" Finally Spoke To Meredith Last Night And My Heart Is Full". BuzzFeed. Retrieved June 29, 2026.
- 1 2 Mediaplanet (June 22, 2023). "Scrubbing In With "Grey's Anatomy" Star and Real-Life Nurse BokHee An". Education and Career News. Archived from the original on May 18, 2026. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
- ↑ Graves, Samantha (May 3, 2024). "'Grey's Anatomy' Has a Real Nurse in Its Cast — And She's the Best Character". Collider. Archived from the original on May 18, 2026. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
- ↑ "Episode 95: Nurse BokHee". Archived from the original on May 19, 2026. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
- ↑ "Sandra Oh live-tweets her final 'Grey's Anatomy' episode". Yahoo News. May 16, 2014. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
- ↑ "Small Screen: Nurse professionally trained for Grey's Anatomy role". Times Colonist. April 17, 2017. Archived from the original on May 17, 2026. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
- ↑ Norkey, Trevor; Iacobucci, Jordan; Doll, Katie; Loughlin, Kieran (July 7, 2022). "Grey's Anatomy's Most Enduring Character Is a Real-Life Scrub Nurse". CBR. Archived from the original on May 18, 2026. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
- ↑ McGrath, Maggie. "50 Over 50: Lifestyle". Forbes. Archived from the original on May 17, 2026. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
- ↑ "Highlighting Stories: Grey's Anatomy Actress & AAPI Advocate". STAND+. September 4, 2023. Archived from the original on May 17, 2026. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
- ↑ "'We are Americans': 'Grey's Anatomy' sheds light on anti-Asian hate in latest Season 18 episode". Yahoo News. May 24, 2022. Archived from the original on May 19, 2026. Retrieved May 14, 2026.